Left Flank

I'm reluctant to praise full-bore Kosovo's independence from Serbia. I'm not alone in my skepticism of self-determination, although I'm not pleased with the company, or their reasons.

Fears that the move could inspire other separatist movements were confirmed almost immediately. On Sunday the breakaway Georgian regions of South Ossetia and Abkhazia announced that in the light of Kosovo's move, they would ask Russia and the UN to recognize their independence. And on Monday Chechen rebels fighting to secede from Russia hailed Kosovo's unilateral declaration of independence, comparing Pristina's fight against Serbia to their own struggle against Moscow.

Are we confusing self-determination with separatism? Separatist aspirations might not necessarily reflect democratic or majority impulses.

I'm even more skeptical, though, when Beijing's queasiness about self-determination is applied to Taiwan.

First, China could scale back the number of flights that its air force regularly makes over the straits. This would reduce the possibilities of an accident and could be visibly verified by the Taiwanese military and media, thereby building goodwill.

More permanently, China could announce a freeze in its military buildup across the straits from Taiwan. While the Chinese military has steadily manufactured short-range ballistic missiles, many are re-loads for existing launchers based in Fujian Province. Relocating those facilities might prove a logistical challenge, while storing reloads farther from their launch points would be rather meaningless. Declaring a freeze on the manufacture of new missiles and on the deployment of new units to launch them would make a significant contribution towards ensuring a peaceful resolution.

Additionally, China could expect a reciprocal response from Taiwan - as well as the United States, which has been steadily increasing its capabilities in the Western Pacific, including deployments of submarines and aircraft.

The peaceful emergence of Kosovo as an independent country provides an example which can contribute to a new, peaceful paradigm for China and Taiwan.

The threat to use force does not automatically ensure Taiwan's cultural and economic affinity with China, nor has it served to prevent Taiwan's steady press for independence.

Dialogue and renunciation of violence will better serve China's interests in ensuring a peaceful resolution of Taiwan's status.

There's an important distinction between Taiwan and Kosovo. Taiwan is de facto independent now, in ways Kosovo can only hope it can achieve, especially with so many states opposed to its new status. PRC, Russia (probably the most egregious offender in this cabal), and Serbia could adopt non-interventionist policies, regardless of their intentions concerning self-determination, because it is good for business. Accepting the advice to "go-slow" doesn't mean we have to penalize the aggrieved, to placate the bad intentions of the imperialistic. Criticizing the aggrieved states' position, but not the offending ones', for being equally, and antagonistically, destabilizing, is self-serving and hypocritical. The international community should guarantee the economic and civil liberties of disputed territories without undermining political tempers. The only way to avoid precipitate moves toward independence is to render the tactic unnecessary, not ask Taiwan to play dead.